DEPARTMENT: Planning
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Bridgett White, AICP
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Council Districts 4, 6, and 8
SUBJECT:
Briefing and Possible Action on Annexation Options Related to Military Installation Mission Protection
SUMMARY:
Briefing on options related to annexation adjacent to the Camp Bullis/Camp Stanley and Lackland Air Force Base/Medina Training Annex. Pursuant to Senate Bill 6, a city may annex up to five (5) miles adjacent to a military base. Senate Bill 6 requires voter approval and affected property owners would choose between being annexed or allowing a municipality to enforce land use regulations as stipulated in the most recent JLUS as a means to provide protection of a military installation mission.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Senate Bill 6 became effective December 1, 2017 and requires cities located in counties with more than 500,000 residents (Tier 2 cities) to obtain landowner or voter approval of a proposed annexation. The new law permits cities to hold elections which allow voters within five miles of military bases to choose one of two means to regulate land use: 1) by annexation or 2) allowing the municipality to improve land use regulations as delineated in the most recent Joint Land Use Study (JLUS). Chapter 43 of the Texas Local Government Code was amended to include the following:
Section 43.0117 Authority of Municipality to Annex Area Near Military Base
Part (b) A municipality may annex for full or limited purposes, under the annexation provisions applicable to that municipality under this chapter, any part of the area located within five miles of the boundary of a military base in which an active training program is conducted. The annexation proposition shall be stated to allow the voters of the area to be annexed to choose between either annexation or providing the municipality with the authority to adopt and enforce an ordinance regulating the land use in the area in the manner recommended by the most recent Joint Land Use Study (JLUS).
ISSUE:
In August 2017, City Council considered and opted against annexation of land adjacent to the Camp Bullis/Camp Stanley and Lackland Air Force Base/Medina Training Annex. However, anticipated changes in state law would provide a municipality with the ability to extend land use controls as a means to provide protection of the military’s missions.
Staff from the Planning Department, Fire Department, City Attorney’s Office, Government and Public Affairs Department, Office of Management and Budget, City Manager’s Office and Office of Military Affairs, in cooperation with Joint Base San Antonio representatives, have been collaborating for approximately the past six months to develop options for City Counil consideration and potential action. The areas described below are presented to the Council as options for annexation consideration. These areas meet the requirements in the Texas Local Government Code as they are within the 5-mile buffer of these military installations, as required by the JLUS. Should a vote not pass, the City of San Antonio would be permitted to extend applicable land use controls.
Annexation Area Options
The areas proposed for annexation are 1) West of Camp Bullis/Camp Stanley, along the IH10 Corridor and 2) West of the Lackland Air Force Base Training Annex along the West Loop 1604 Corridor.
Each area was split into two smaller areas in order to provide Council with options and a range of estimated costs (See Map Attachments). The following provides a brief description of the annexation area options:
1) West of Camp Bullis and Camp Stanley along the IH10 Corridor ‐ bounded by IH 10 West (Main Corridor), Boerne Stage Road (Northwestern Limit), and Toutant Beauregard Road (Western Limit)
a. Camp Bullis Large Area
i. Size - 18.46 square miles (11,814.4 acres)
ii. Est. Population - 18,780
iii. Number of Housing Units - 7,223 (sf)
b. Camp Bullis Area A
i. Size - 5.29 square miles (3,389.12 acres)
ii. Est. Population - 9,440
iii. Number of Housing Units - 3,142 sf
c. Camp Bullis Area B
i. Size - 8.51 square miles (5,447.5 acres)
ii. Est. Population - 8,956
iii. Number of Housing Units - 3,400 sf
2) West of the Lackland AFB Training Annex along the West Loop 1604 S Corridor ‐ bounded by West Loop 1604 S (Main Corridor), Military Drive West (Northern Limit), Grosenbacher Road (Western Limit), Macdona Lacoste Road/Nelson Road (Southern Limit)
a. Lackland Air Force Large Area
i. Size - 16.63 square miles (10,643.2 acres)
ii. Est. Population - 40,205
iii. Number of Housing Units - 1,548 (sf)
b. Lackland Air Force Area A
i. Size - 10.35 square miles (6,621.69 acres)
ii. Est. Population - 42,012
iii. Number of Housing Units - 15,770 sf
c. Lackland Air Force Area B
i. Size - 12.45 square miles (7,973.01 acres)
ii. Est. Population - 4,708
iii. Number of Housing Units - 1,783 sf
Council Options for Consideration
Option 1: No Annexation Election.
Option 2: Conduct an election for one or more of the aforementioned areas.
Should Voters Vote “Yes” - Areas would be under a limited purpose annexation scenario with services provided three years following the election (i.e., November 2021).
Should Voters Vote “No” - Staff would present to the Council a number of proposed ordinances to initiate land use regulations in the areas in the manner recommended by the most recent Joint Land Use Study (JLUS).
Land Use Controls: Five critical land use controls were considered for the areas adjacent the Camp Bullis/Camp Stanley and Lackland Air Force Base/Medina Training Annex as they align with adopted JLUS recommendations and citations. These critical land use controls include Land Use Planning - Subdivision Regulations, Lighting, Noise, Safety and Height. However, the working group determined that only the following controls would be applicable for each of the military bases:
1) West of Camp Bullis and Camp Stanley along the IH10 Corridor
1. Land Use Planning: The City of San Antonio would need to collaborate with Bexar County to consider possible amendments, if any, to the Interlocal Agreement related to Subdivision Regulations
2. Lighting: Dark Skies Lighting Ordinance approved by the City of San Antonio in February 2018; Bexar County Court Order approval in progress
2) West of the Lackland AFB Training Annex along the West Loop 1604 S Corridor
1. Land Use Planning: The City of San Antonio would need to collaborate with Bexar County to consider possible amendments, if any, to the Interlocal Agreement related to Subdivision Regulations
3. Lighting: Dark Skies Lighting Ordinance approved by the City of San Antonio in February 2018; Bexar County Court Order approval in progress
2. Noise: The City of San Antonio could adopt an Ordinance creating a zone with sound standards equivalent to the City’s existing Military Sound Attenuation Overlay (MSAO)
3. Height: The City of San Antonio could adopt an Ordinance creating a zone with height standards equivalent to the City’s existing Airport Hazard Overlay District (AHOD)
Timeline Should Council Initiate an Election
June 2018 - Council direction on proposed annexation areas
August 2, 2018 - Council approves ordinance to call a vote (last day possible to call for a November 6, 2018 election)
September/October 2018- Prepare election material and conduct public engagement
November 6, 2018 - Election
ALTERNATIVES:
Alternatives include 1) no annexation election or 2) conduct an election for one or more of the six proposed annexation areas.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Office of Management and Budget is working on service/cost estimates for each of the proposed annexation areas. This analysis will accompany the formal briefing.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff is seeking Council direction in order to proceed with this initiative. Should Council express support for the extension of military installation mission protection, staff recommends initiating election proceedings for the area west of the Lackland Air Force Base/Medina Training Annex. This area includes a significant amount of vacant land and provides the city with the greatest potential to limit the impact of encroachment on this installation.